


The Price to Protect The White Knight

by dreykar



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-01
Updated: 2012-08-16
Packaged: 2017-11-11 04:41:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/474631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreykar/pseuds/dreykar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Directly after The Dark Knight Jim Gordon visits Arkham Asylum to question their latest patient about some urgent matters. He'd prefer to be at home in bed but at last they have the clown. What price do he and Batman have to pay to protect Dent's reputation?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Commissioner Gordon walked briskly through the halls of Arkham, trench coat dancing around his knees. Even though he would like nothing more than to be in his bed right now they finally had the clown. They finally had him.

It had been determined that Arkham would be the safest place to keep him for now as they still weren't sure who to trust in the force and Blackgate was currently empty as the prisoners were still on the ferry. Once those prisoners were back The Joker was in a lot of trouble, he'd almost succeeded in having them all killed. But these were things they could sort out later. Right now they had bigger problems.

"Ah, Commissioner, welcome. Security said you would be close" a senior Arkham administrator acknowledged, standing next to a white, reinforced door. "We have one of our doctors in there already as we want to make sure we get all the information we can, that way we can begin a diagnosis as well. He is rambling and getting to the men in there. Personally I'm trying not to listen to what he is going on about. It's...well, it's quite chilling".

Gordon scratched at his moustache as he peered into the rooms small, reinforced window. "Well let me in there with him. How is he restrained?"

The administrator slowly brought his pass out from his pants pocket, ready to scan. "Cuffed and strapped to the chair. We are going to have to sedate him to put on the straight jacket though, he injured three people when they tried to put it on earlier. We've only had him a couple of hours and you have no idea the trouble he's caused already".

Gordon wasn't jealous of whoever had to get the needle near him. "Well good luck with that, just as long as he can't try anything now I'll speak to him as he is". At this Jim strode through the therapy room door with two of his officers.

The Joker was sitting at a table with four guards behind him. They all had tazers, two had tranquilliser weapons, the others regular guns. They had managed to strip him of his paint and had changed his clothes. He looked smaller like this but he wasn't any less intimidating. His eyes had dark shadows beneath them and his teeth were as discoloured as ever. Even now in their charge he looked in control despite his manic appearance. In fact, he was happily talking along about something. The men behind him were shaking slightly and sweating as they gripped their weapons tighter.

"…and if you take  _that_  bottle off the wall, there would be 37 bottles of aborted fetuses on the wall…". Suddenly his eyes snapped up to see Gordon walking in, he looked delighted. "White and two sugars, thanks, but this time no good cop bad cop". He pretended to try to look behind him just in case, a throw back to his time in the MCU interview room. The guards stiffened.

Gordon just stood there taking in his predicament. "You know who I am. I have to say that it's such a satisfying feeling to see you locked up after all that we've all been dealing with the last few days, weeks even". He gazed down at the handcuffs and the straps holding the green haired man to the chair. "It really suits you". At this he sat opposite him, the table in between.

The situation didn't seem to phase the patient, in fact he seemed to be in very good spirits. "Well I was telling these  _boys_  behind me that I  _really_  like being restrained.  _Really_  like it, in fact. I thanked them. Especially these kinky little handcuffs, I said-"

"-and I said shut up, Clown!" one of the Arkham workers snapped violently as he raised his stun gun.

Gordon didn't want these men to be so touchy, it's exactly what the criminal wanted. He held a hand up until he fell back into rank. "I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here?"

The Joker smirked without humour then let his eyes wander around the room as he spoke. They were dark, as dark as they seemed when the black paint was around them. You could easily see the coldness there and it had the tendency to take your breath for a second. Apparently he didn't have an off switch, he was a maniac at all times. "It wouldn't have anything to do with holding the city to ransom, would it? Blowing up a hospital?". He then feigned shock "Or perhaps it's jaywalking? Or is this about the parking ticket I didn't pay a few months ago? I keep telling you guys, the meter wasn't working!".

At the side of the room the doctor wrote down these confessions and his reactions. The convict seemed irritated at this behavior, thinking through the consequences of this person analysing him in this way. Before he could say anything however the other man was speaking.

"Oh, we'll get to that, however, I have something more pressing to talk to you about first".

In an instant he had shifted his attention from the psychoanalyst. "Well I'm all ears, Jimmy. Oh, but before I forget, say hello to the wife and two kiddies for me, would ya? I'm liking those stairs too, the ones outside your place, nice and comfy to sit on and look inside from"

Gordon forced himself to remain calm and not get riled up, although he rubbed at his hands slightly under the table. "We want to know what you know about-" again Jim composed himself, no matter what he personally thought he had to do his job "-the fugitive vigilante known as Batman".

The clown's smile faded and he looked very serious, he chose who he spoke to in this way. Not many people deserved it, they weren't on that sort of intellectual level. "Has he stopped being useful? Hrm? Now that I'm tightly locked away? In here?". For emphasis he pursed his lips and rattled the cuffs near his head a few times each side like maracas.

"We just want to know what you know".

The Joker just continued on his own line of thought after loudly slapping the chains to the table and popping his lip. "Remember what happened last time you locked me up and how well that turned out for you? Hrm? What makes you think this is going to work out any better this time?"

Jim shut his eyes and reopened them trying to forget about the MCU explosion and the people killed. "What do you know?" he implored, not letting himself be intimidated. Dealing with the Joker relied on not letting him get to you. He could read the smallest sign of weakness and expose it.

The Joker leaned back as best he could in his chair, although his movement was limited as it was secured to the floor. "I wonder how my other half is doing?" he pondered whimsically. "You don't know where he's flown off to". It was a statement, not a question.

"We know you both spoke to each other before you were taken into custody. What did you talk about?"

The Joker let out a giggle and grinned. "Oh, I don't talk about my personal life in interviews, Commissioner. Don't you want to know who I'm wearing tonight?"

Gordon was getting frustrated. "You're in the same jumpsuit as the rest of the patients here. You look exactly the same as the others without your makeup".

"I'm wondering what they're going to do with my hair, personally. Will they try to dye the green out? Will they try to cut it off? Hopefully they'll try to make it blond". His tone changed and his eyes burned as he dipped his head lower. "Would you like to hear what I can do with a bottle of bleach?"

There was a pause, the threat echoed around the room. Gordon used his experience to his advantage to ensure that he didn't look affected. "We'll come back to that then. Coleman Reese. What do you know?"

The Joker seemed amused but distracted. This subject wasn't as interesting. His eyes shifted around the room and he frowned as they fell on the writing psychiatrist once more, he lifted his body a bit in an effort to see what they were writing even though they were on the other side of the room. "Who?"

"Coleman Reese. You threatened to have him killed"

Another giggle, he was playing with his hands now and tapping a foot. "You're going to have to be more specific than  _that._  I've had a rather  _busy_  few days"

Jim felt slightly defeated as he knew he'd have to play along for now. "He was going to reveal Batman's true identity on live television".

"Oh,  _him!_  I'll let you in on a secret, I've never met him".

Gordon sighed in frustration. "We have reports that he was last seen being followed by some of your thugs"

The Joker brightened and made eye contact again "Actually, they prefer to be called 'Hench Clowns', looks better on the resume".

"Like they would survive that long after working for you" Jim said softly, almost with pity for the criminals as he shook his head and rearranged his hands on the table top.

The Joker gave the closest thing to a real smile yet. He replied calmly and with sincerity "I think we're going to get on just fine, Commissioner".

"Enough" Jim commanded. "Where is Coleman Reese?"

The Joker tried to get his hair out of this face with both of his cuffed hands, he was letting this distract him. "He's currently indisposed" he explained evenly in his nasal toned voice.

Gordon's eyes narrowed sensing danger. "What do you mean?"

The Joker seemed to think over his words. "Indisposed? In  _dis_ posed? Ah, I mean  _in disposable bags_. Dis _pos_ ed of"

"You killed him?" Jim roared, almost standing up.

The green haired man held up a finger "Now calm down. We've been over this, I can't be in two places at once, see-"

"-but you had him killed?"

"Uh…yeah?"

"Why?"

"Why? Like I said, he would have spoiled the fun. It was too predictable anyway, that  _is_  his real face. There's no other man underneath, even if he thinks there is"

Gordon waved his hand and one of his officers came over. Jim asked The Joker "Where is he? Are you lying to me?"

The clown beamed. "I'm being 100% truthful. Get your men to look at that dock where Falcone was found attached to the light. You won't be disappointed".

Jim nodded at his policeman and told him to be careful as he swept out of the room. The Joker sat there, tongue flicking out as he shuffled a little in his seat. He looked like the teachers pet who had just done the right thing in dobbing in some bullies. Gordon felt unnerved but at least they were getting somewhere. "He'll get back to me soon".

"I'm  _counting_  on it".

Warning bells sounded to some there however they pressed on, The Joker was enjoying this immensely. He was mouthing words at the Arkham doctor and making flirtatious movements of his face such as suggestive eyebrow raises and lewd lip licking directly at her.

Gordon ignored it. "We have reason to believe that you spoke with Harvey Dent earlier today. Did you?"

Again his attention shifted. "What would that matter? Has he been telling  _tales_  about me?"

Jim pressed on. "We are trying to piece together his day, we feel as though it would assist us with our enquires".

"Why don't you ask him yourself? Although it would be 50/50 whether you'd actually get anything useful out of him. Maybe some burnt offerings would help?". He was giggling again as though he weren't discussing horrible disfigurement.

"Please" Jim pushed, trying to get the man to follow their conversation in some sort of linear way.

"Don't be too hard on Haaaaarvey. A day as bad as his would turn the sanest man to a foaming-at-the-mouth loony"

"What did you do to him?". As Gordon narrowed his eyes the doctor couldn't write this down fast enough.

"I helped bring out what was already bubbling under the surface. Don't underestimate the power of  _grief_  to trip a person over the edge. Imagine if something bad happened to you-"

"-that's enough"

"Imagine I, say, shot your daughter-"

"-enough!" Jim bellowed. This was far to close to what had just happened with Dent, his children had been threatened with a gun only hours earlier and it was bringing back horrible flashbacks.

The guards raised their weapons and all shouted warnings at him at once.

"Hee, hee, hee, a-hoo". The restrained one wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "Aw, come on you're killing me here". He sighed. "Maybe Haaaaaarvey is with your outlawed vigilante?"

"We know where he is" Gordon replied, slowing down his rapidly beating heart. "They are not together"

"Well as I said don't feel too harshly towards the fallen White Knight. He did what he had to do".

One of the guards raised his weapon. "Harvey Dent was a hero".

Jim shot him a death glare, he didn't want to clown knowing more than he had to.

"I'm sure he was but-" he turned the best he could in his chair and was able to just make eye contact with the man "-how the mighty  _fall_ ".

The guard started towards the clown but was held back by two of his colleagues.

"Get him out of here!" Jim commanded, now on his feet. He didn't return to his seat until the employee left. This left three guards, one of the tranquilizer guns had now gone. "No more of that behaviour from any of you!"

The prisoner had a polite look of openness on his face. "Well  _he_  had a pretty high opinion of a common murderer. You find all the people the coin flipper killed off yet?

"Dent" Jim began, looking down "isn't wanted for murder". He gazed up. "Did you talk to him at the hospital or not?".

Already The Joker was raising his hands, telling him to stop talking for a moment. "No, wait, wait, wait, wait. What?"

"Did you talk to him at-"

"-what did you say before that?" The Joker interrupted curiously, earning him a jab in the back with a pistol and an order to calm down. Then Jim saw it happen, an eureka moment flashed in the clowns eyes and Jim knew it was lost.

A few giggles spurted out of The Joker's lips as he spoke. "You're looking for The Bat Man because he won't come when called. A  _wanted_  man. And, and you think Dent is as white and shining as ever. Oh, Commissioner, what dirty little secrets are you hiding?"

He watched him intently, Jim couldn't meet his eyes. The guards just assumed that was due to the clown's behavior. "We are searching for the vigilante fashioning himself as Batman. He is a wanted man".

The Joker lost himself in a cackling and shrieking mess. The guards surrounded him and began to detach the jumpsuited man from the chair to put him in a cell, to them it was the last straw and they weren't going to get anything further from him. Before he was led out he said to the Commissioner. "I don't, I don't know what's funnier. The fact you think that the Bat would murder all those people but let me live or that you just proved what I told him".

Gordon stood as the clown began to be dragged off. "And what was that?"

"That you'd drop him as soon as there was the first inkling of any trouble". Suddenly a terrifying soberness came over his features even as he was being moved. "Tell the truth, Commissioner, or risk losing him to my side. I want a longer battle before I win. Don't spoil my fun".

"Commissioner!" an officer ran up to him as The Joker was bring dragged away backwards. They were all out of the room now. "We'e been trying to reach you. We had ten officers on the dock when it was blown up!"

Gordon looked horrified. "The dock was blown up? Ten people died?"

He glanced up at the retreating figure who was now whooping with great laughter. "I did promise that you wouldn't be disappointed!". A guard punched him in the stomach to try to stop the mad cackles, it didn't work. "Think about what I've just said, look how easy it was to make the White Knight fall, you know it's true, I don't care what you've told the others. Push  _him_  to the side, leave  _him_  nowhere else to go and he is  _mine"._ At this his eyes rolled back into his head and he took a moment to reveal in that thought. "At least make me _work_  for it first". He was punched again, this time in the chest. He eyed off his incensed guards. "Oh, we're going to have  _fun_  here, aren't we boys?" he growled.

Gordon stood there numb as the chilling laughter faded down the hallway.

"Commissioner? We found Coleman Reese's body there too just before it went up. He was telling the truth. There has been no sign of the vigilante yet though".

Jim gathered himself. "Get me Mayor Garcia at my office. We have work to do".


	2. Chapter 2

"Alfred" came the voice over the crackling communications system.

"I would have hoped to have heard from you by now" was the brisk response.

"I've been busy". That was an understatement. Batman had been on the Bat-pod for the last fifteen minutes after leaving Gordon to it at the place where Rachel had been blown away. After the Commissioner had put the call in he knew he only had moments to get out of there, but he had to be seen first. They couldn't have then questioned whether he had been there or not. But this situation wasn't ideal, it would be hard to come back from this. Harvey had fallen, they'd placed too much strain on the man, or more his reputation. Bruce knew only too well what the pressure of being the one hope for a festering city could do to a person. His first priority however was to get away then out of the suit, they could work out the rest from there.

Alfred hadn't heard from Bruce since just before he met with Dent and the Gordon's. To say he was very worried didn't even begin to describe how he'd been feeling. "I can see that. Tell me, which part of all this seemed like a good idea at the time?"

The straight forward part of Batman mentally growled. "We can talk about his later"

A pause, like the butler didn't want to know the answer to his next query. "Are you hurt?"

This was a more reasonable set of questioning. "Not exactly. Bruised. The suit blocks bullets well but the impact still comes through"

"Well, now we know, perhaps that can be avoided in the future?". There was a host of car alarms going off down the line. "Where are you?"

He was zipping past parked cars, the streets were bare. Was everyone alright? "I'm about five minutes from the bunker. I'm not being followed. I'm going to change clothes then get back to the penthouse"

"Right then. I suppose we tell everyone you've been sleeping after your little traffic altercation earlier when you tried to run that red? Perhaps feign concussion?"

"Perfect". After a time he quietly pulled into the yard where the bunker was located. After cutting the engines he was able to position the bike and gradually descend into the room.

Slowly Alfred came into view, he was stationed at the computer. He looked alert but even from here Bruce could tell that he was tired. "I've been keeping an eye out at Blackgate and Arkham. There seems to be something going on at the asylum, police car after police car have arrived and it looks as though there could be SWAT there too"

"They'll be moving him there". The Billionaire was walking over, the Bat-pod had been parked, the cowl was off as he was using his teeth to remove the gloves as his eyes stayed fixed on the live feed from the mental hospital's gates. "It's the logical choice. Blackgate is empty and too dangerous. After his behavior they'll need to asses him mentally before his trial".

Alfred's bright eyes bore into his, he could see him trying to assess how hurt he was and what mental state he was in. "Do you think he'll make it to trial?"

Bruce turned so they were both front on. "You think they'll have enough grounds to lock him in Arkham without a court case?"

"Actually I was hoping one of his many new enemies will do us all a favor in the short term" the man explained with little humour.

Bruce wasn't impressed, he'd been going over and over this in his mind. "No. He needs to face justice. It would be too easy that way. He needs to realise and pay for what he has done, it's the only way". He then sat in the chair and made a sound close to a sigh. "But it's going to be harder than I expected. Batman is under attack".

Alfred frowned but decided to leave that particular line of questioning for later. "May I suggest we get back to the penthouse? The police will be everywhere soon. And you can fill me in on what's happened". Bruce did this on the way back to where they had been staying, letting the older man in on what had taken place. Among other emotions he wasn't impressed. "So you're telling me that Batman must take the fall for Dent? Forgive me, but the truth will come out. Someone will know something. Surely the Commissioner will do what's right".

"He  _is_  doing what's right" he patiently explained as he watched the world shoot past the windows of the car, this speed was no match for the Bat-pod. "Gordon knows Batman can take it. It's Dent's reputation that is more important here"

"That was all very well when Dent was alive, but now he's gone-"

"-it's even more important to make sure people think he was good until the very end. If not, everything we worked for will be thrown back in our faces".

There was silence after this. They slipped down a ramp and waited for the door to open. "So I take it this is it then? This is over?". They both stepped into the basement carpark and even though they knew no one was there, Bruce protected his identity.

"Do you mean it's time for you to focus on the cocktails and parties only now? No".

"No?"

"No. There has to be another way". They briskly walked to the elevator which opened almost instantly. The door closed with them inside and Alfred dropped his voice.

"A new suit perhaps?" he questioned after pushing the button.

"Perhaps" Bruce replied calmly. He had already begun to plan out what to do next but he would be kidding himself if he thought he knew all of the answers.

There was a curl in Alfred's lip. "Well, may I put out there that I've always been a fan of turtles".

Even in pain from his wounds Bruce couldn't help but crack a small smile, it had been a while since he had anything to smile about.

Once they had reached the top floor Bruce realised it was time to address one thing he had been trying to ignore: his injuries. With his top off he turned so he could see himself in the mirrors. He was a mess of red and purple with older green from previous days there too. That metal bar his foe had used and those dogs had caught up with him. "I think I'm going to have to ice a lot of this"

"I can fill the bath with it to save time, you can just lie in it" the caring, elderly man suggested.

"Not exactly funny"

"Not exactly  _joking_ " Alfred returned quickly and made eye contact until he saw something and turned his head like a curious animal. "Did you get bitten by a dog again?"

"Three" the younger one explained, trying to give an indication of the size of the Rottweilers with his hands.

"Three? Well, you do like to do things properly, don't you?" Alfred quipped, trying to keep their spirits up.

It took a while but finally Bruce was cleaned up and sent to bed by Alfred. He didn't want to sleep but the old man had insisted. "You can just lie there for an hour" he'd said. "Humour the old man, will you?".

Bruce didn't think he'd sleep but six hours later he opened his eyes as the sun streamed into his room. He couldn't believe it, it was the longest he'd slept without waking in as long as he could remember. At this there was a knock at the door. Alfred entered.

"Sorry, Master Bruce. There are a group of reporters at the bottom of the building, won't take no for an answer"

"What do they want?" he yawned, adjusting his 1000 count sheets.

"The mishap with the Lambourgini, the press is wanting points of view about this whole thing from every angle and your involvement as a big name is too good for them to leave alone. Also, Coleman Reese has reportedly gone missing. Unconfirmed".

Bruce rose and slowly got dressed in the clothes that had been left out for him. "Haven't they got better things to be doing? How about they start with finding out who The Joker is, where he's come from?"

The older man adjusted his button-up, woollen vest. "Apparently people what to hear about what happened. You can just pretend you're going out for a coffee. Remember, you're concussed, it shouldn't be too hard to fake it looking as you do". He tried not to smirk at Bruce's unimpressed pout. "No offence, of course".

* * *

Ten minutes later the elevator doors shot open and a suit and sunglasses clad Bruce walked into the foyer. He was dressed sloppily, tie somewhat undone, blazer open. As he strode forward he was set upon by a variety of reporters and cameramen.

"Mister Wayne!"

"Bruce Wayne!"

"What happened-'

"-can you tell us-"

"-can you tell us what happened yesterday?"

Bruce stopped near the outside doors and smiled. "You'll have to forgive me, I'm pretty tired. I hit my head in the accident yesterday, only just got out of bed. Coffee sounds-"

"-what happened?" a shrill woman chirped over the top of the people shouting questions, cameras going off and the shuffle of their feet in the echoing marble tiled room.

"Like I said in my police report, I was in a hurry and thought I could make it through the intersection before the light turned red. Nothing more exciting than that. I've got a fast car, would have made it if that other guy hadn't had been there"

A tall, blond journalist leant forward with his microphone. "You realise what you did though? You saved the life of that man"

"Yeah but, come on, it was an accident. I'm glad I was able to help but, yeah. It's good no one was hurt"

"Bruce, what do you think of last night's events?" a stocky, brunette questioned.

"Well there's a lot of damage to the car but I've got another that I can use-"

"-about The Joker, his capture?" she explained further.

The vigilante stopped walking and adjusted his shades. "They got him? Great. Like I said I've been asleep, but that's great. Those men and women, the officers, obviously did a wonderful job". He tried walking out again but was blocked by the group.

"They say The Joker is at Arkham Asylum, do you believe the death penalty is in order?"

Bruce shook his head a little. "You're asking me? That sort of thing isn't for me to decide".

"They believe Coleman Reece is missing-"

"-there is a rumour that Lucius Fox has left Wayne Enterprises, can you comment on this?"

Bruce stopped and slid his sunglasses down a small amount so they could see him a little better. His eyes had dark purple shadows below them, in his condition concussion was plausible. "If I've got something to say about anything I will make a statement at a time that suits me, I'm not confirming or denying anything. I live in this building at the moment, you've got me straight out of bed. Right now I'm getting a coffee and apparently a newspaper. Have a great day everyone".

At this he was able to leave, they seemed to buy his vacant explanation of events, his disguise working as well as ever.

* * *

By the time he got back up to the penthouse Alfred had just finished watching the interview which had been broadcast almost straight away. All in Gotham were looking for as much information as they could about what had happened to their city. The fact that this report had a tabloid mainstay only encouraged them. "News about Lucius spread fast. Is it true?"

Bruce threw his security pass and glasses onto a table. "Yes and no. I just need to have a chat with him, that's all. He said that he wouldn't work there while a particular piece of technology was at Wayne Enterprises. I told him how to destroy it, hopefully he has, therefore he hasn't quit. I'll call him soon".

"And Coleman Reese?"

Bruce ran a hand through his hair in a small sign of weakness. "I can't go down to the computers now. I'm sure the police can handle a missing persons case without me. There is nothing I can do in the middle of the day about it". At this he disappeared into the study.

Hours later Alfred felt he had to do something. "Master Bruce, you've been staring at those news reports for ten hours straight. It's 2am".

"I know what I have to do, Alfred"

The named man stepped forward, not bothering to hide the concern etched in his features. "Sir?"

Commissioner Gordon breaking the Bat signal was replayed again in front of them on the news. "Bruce Wayne gives a lot of money to Arkham Asylum"

"Yes, you do". He had never liked the way the youngest Wayne seemed to talk about himself in third person, almost like it wasn't who he was.

"Well it's obvious. I give more and then demand to see the changes go through the system. Perhaps even tell them what I want. I could be there as much as I wanted and it wouldn't seem strange"

"That's all very well, but what are you planning on achieving? Batman-"

"-can't help The Joker right now. He may be able to help Gotham but not the clown". They watched as they saw the supposed footage of the scarred man being taken through the Arkham doors. It was too hard to see with the grainy long shot if it was him or not and there looked to be a cotton sack over his head.

The greying man seemed to strike up some courage. "I thought Batman's purpose was to help Gotham, not its destroyers"

"The Joker is a sick man" he explained in an almost monotone way "he deserves help"

This seemed too much for the butler. "Most people are saying he deserves a bullet in the head. Be careful about what you seem to be supporting"

Bruce sat up. "I'm supporting justice, I'm supporting what my father started in trying to help this city!".

"I can understand you wanting to understand how this man's brain works but I don't think you're going to like the answers, if there are any. There is no flipping the switch and sending him back out into society. Like I said, some men just want to see the world burn: don't let him destroy your world with it".

Bruce called out after Alfred who was leaving the room. "This is the best way to protect Gotham until they can work with Batman again". He settled back into the chair then seemed to think better of it. He stood, turning off the television and calling down the hall incase Alfred was hanging around. "I'll call the asylum first thing tomorrow and make an appointment to discuss the donation. I'm sure they'll be happy to hear from me or anyone else who seemingly isn't there just to get information on The Joker".

**Author's Note:**

> There are a few nods to the comics in this and I need to highlight that I didn't come up with some of these themes:
> 
> The Killing Joke- Jim's daughter being shot and the notion of 'One Bad Day'.
> 
> Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth- Batman's true face is the cowl.
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


End file.
